Which Restaurants Are Perfect for Both Vegans and Non-Vegans?

Ten years ago, freelance writer and photographer Kyle Beechey committed to veganism, but she’s the first to admit that vegan-only restaurants aren’t really her jam. “My boyfriend is not vegan, so I try not to go to vegan restaurants because I find it’s not as exciting,” Beechey says. “I’m definitely interested in finding options at non-vegan places. I eat at vegan restaurants almost never.” Whether it’s a real-deal pizza shop where vegan cheese is an option or restaurants that are simply willing to work with vegan diners, here are her recommendations for eateries where vegans and non-vegans can enjoy themselves.

“The East Village is really on fire with experimental Asian food right now, and MáLà Project has really innovative approaches to vegetables. You can go there every week and eat something different, which is really wonderful. Vegan eating doesn’t have to be all about tofu.”

“Duh. It’s like junk food, but it doesn’t taste like junk food. I love their burnt broccoli salad; that’s probably one of my favorite things to eat in all of New York. It’s like Brooks Headley found a way to engineer vegetarian and vegan food so that you crave it. I feel like I need to eat here every other day.”

“I like to go here, but only on weekdays. I like the seasonality of it, and I can always get something different. I’ll get their quinoa plate, for example, but the sauce is always different and the vegetables are always different. Or I’ll get their big salad. The last time I went, it had watermelon and shishitos in it, but I’ve had it before where it had squash and pepitas. They also have amazing sides at lunch, but not at brunch. I had one that was summer squash and chickpeas in a curry sauce that was amazing.”

“This is probably my favorite meal I’ve had in all of New York. I had a dish that wasn’t pasta, but it featured noodles made from vegetables and it had shiitake mushrooms and Brussels sprouts. Chef John Fraser always puts on a good veggie-friendly show. You can eat here and not feel like you’re at a vegetarian restaurant, which I really appreciate.”

“The first time I walked into this place, I knew I needed to be a regular there. They have vegan cheese for the pizzas and a vegan Caesar salad. I love the natural-wine program, too. Tell everyone they can be vegan at Scarr’s.”

“I love soft-serve ice cream, and this place has cashew-based version that come in revolving flavors. It is also an excellent shop with lots of hard-to-find vegan cheeses, snacks, and foods that you can’t even imagine in your wildest dreams, like meats from the cult favorite Herbivorous Butcher in Minneapolis. They are also constantly changing what they stock, so there is always something exciting and new when I visit.”